Seattle Public Schools | Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for Books & Bricks

Why do we need to close schools?

Seattle Public Schools has about half as many students as we had in 1965 (100,000 students in 1965 to 46,000 today). While enrollment declined by about 50%, we only reduced the number of schools by about 20%. This means that many schools are only partially full, and have been so for many years.

Partially full buildings can’t provide the range of services and resources that students need and deserve. Money that goes to keeping partially full buildings open uses up dollars that could be better spent on academics in fuller buildings. Closing schools won’t solve all of the financial crisis facing public schools today and we’re not the only city in the state or nation confronting these issues. But for Seattle’s children, it will mean more money for academics – and this is a step in the right direction.

Our community will also save significant capital dollars – on the magnitude of $350 million – in deferred maintenance and in replacement construction for older buildings that will no longer be necessary
When did this happen?

The School Board voted on Phase I of school closures on July 26, 2006. Most closures won’t happen until September 2007. This gives us the 2006-07 school year to plan together for a smooth transition of students and programs to the receiving buildings.

The closure of Martin Luther King and the merger with T. T. Minor is the only change for the 2006 – 2007 school year.
I’ve heard there’s going to be a “Phase II” of closures and consolidations. What’s that?

The School Board initially set a target of closing eleven schools. The Superintendent’s Final Recommendations for Phase I included only seven schools. (One of these - Hughes - is used as an interim site; it does not save any operating costs and does not have a permanent student body.)

Phase II was to be a continuation of the process that led to the Phase I recommendations. We anticipated that Phase II would result in four additional closures (West Seattle, the Central Area, and the North end of the city. Closing the Wilson-Pacific building, which houses a number of different programs, was also being considered.) Closures for Phase II was recommended on September 18, 2006 and the School Board voted to table those recommendations indefinitely on October 18, 2006. Thus, there will not be a Phase II closure this year.
Where will students from the closed buildings go to school?

The Superintendent’s Final Recommendations include seven building closures. Students in each sending school will automatically have a seat at the receiving school. (refer to Board Action on student assignment)
- Hughes has no permanent student population, so students are not impacted by that closure.
- Students who attend John Marshall will be moved to other facilities that meet their academic and social needs. John Marshall building will be closed. This closure will be effective for the 2008-09 year. The building and programs, except the Middle School Alternative Program will be open for the 2007-08 year. Students in the Middle School Alternative Program will be reassigned to other appropriate middle schools.
- Orca, currently located at Columbia, will be moved to the Whitworth building. Columbia building will be closed.
- Viewlands and Broadview-Thomson will merge and be located at Broadview-Thomson. Viewlands building will be closed.
- Whitworth and Dearborn Park will merge and be located at Dearborn Park. Whitworth will house Orca, which is being relocated from the closed Columbia building.
- Fairmount Park and High Point will merge and be located at High Point. Fairmount Park building will be closed.
- Rainier View and Emerson will merge and be located at Emerson. Rainier View building will be closed.
I was counting on sibling priority to get my younger child into the same school. What will happen now?

When an older child in a family is reassigned to a receiving school for September 2007 because the current school is closing, incoming siblings will have sibling priority for the receiving school.
What if I don’t want my child to go to the merged school?

If you don’t want to keep your child’s seat at the merged school, you can participate in Open Enrollment for the 2007-2008 school year. Open Enrollment will be held January 16 – February 28, 2007 for September 2007
What happens to students in Special Education programs?

It should be noted that the locations of special education programs are reviewed periodically to determine the most appropriate sites to meet student needs. Consideration is being given to relocating several special education programs for 2007-2008. Students in relocated programs could remain with the program at its new location or may be re-assigned to another program/location that would better meet their needs. Assignment of students receiving special education services is based on services stated in the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
The medically fragile students at Whitworth are in Low incidence B classrooms that have been specifically designed for their needs. The Orca program is scheduled to move into the Whitworth building, and the medically fragile students will become part of that program.
The location of the Low Incidence A program will be reviewed to determine the most appropriate site to meet student needs. Generally, providing a K-5 or 1-5 continuum of a program (primary and intermediate) in the same school is desirable. The location of this program will be reviewed in conjunction with the routine review of all program locations for 2007-2008 to determine if a change in location is indicated.

List of Programs
What will happen to the teachers and other school staff when the building closes?
Who will be the Principal of the merged school?

The school principals are:

Dearborn Park - Ellen Punyon
Emerson - Marion Vinson
High Point - Gayle Everly
Broadview Thomson - Jeanne Smart

New principals at several Seattle schools - Seattle PI February 27, 2007
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/305370_principals27ww.html

Since these principals are currently principals involved in transition process, the work with the families, staff and communities will go as smoothly as possible.
Teacher and other staff assignments will be finalized in April during the normal district staffing timeline. Staff members who are not able to be located in the merged building, will have options about where they would like to be re-assigned as per Human Resources policies and SEA contractual agreements.
What will the merged school be named?

The name of a school is a very important part of the school’s identity. We encourage the merged school communities to discuss the name, and to work with District staff to make any changes to the school’s name. However, it should be noted that the school board has a policy on naming schools which would need to be followed to change the name of a school.
What will happen to closed schools?

All vacant properties will be reviewed during the 2006-07 year (including interim sites and sites that will be vacant because of closures). Decisions will be made about the possibility of renting, leasing, or selling the various vacant properties the district owns.
What will happen with extra furniture from the closed schools?
A small portion of the furniture from the closed schools will move to the receiving schools to ensure appropriate quantities for the merged population. What doesn't move will be divided into three categories based on its condition: Good, Mediocre, and Not Usable. The good items will be transported to the District's warehouse for use in filling any schools furniture needs. The Not Usable items will be discarded onsite. The rest will be sold at public auction.
What's going on now with the move coordination efforts?
The move coordination team is contacting school principals involved and scheduling the first round of "move training" sessions with each staff. The purpose of these meetings will be to distribute information regarding packing, purging and disposition of IT equipment. At the same time, the move coordination team is collecting space function assignments from the principals for receiving schools. These assignments will be used to determine what, if any, work needs to be done to get the receiving buildings ready for consolidated occupancy. Site visits are happening by several District personnel to help determine what each building has and what is needed in the receiving schools.

Contact:

Eden Maloney
Project Manager
Equipment Planning & Logistics
Heery International
206-254-7965 (cell)
206-587-0473 (main)
206-587-0469 (fax)

www.heery.com
My child goes to John Marshall. Where will s/he attend school in 2007?

The decision to close John Marshall has been delayed for one year. The closure will go into effect for the 2008-09 year. Programs currently in the building will stay in the John Marshall building except the Middle School Alternative Program. The Middle School Alternative Program is ending as of June 2007, and students in that program will be reassigned to other appropriate middle schools.
What can we do to honor recognize and our community as our school closes?

Recognition Ceremonies ----Ideas for closure recognition event

Tenor: low-key, respectful. The school building served us well. Recognize years of schooling, years of staff contributions to educating Seattle’s youth.
What: One-hour or less assembly/gathering.
When: at end of school year. Last day? Last week? Evening? School Day? Weekend?
Refreshments?
Program: celebrate happy/sad and good/bad history and memories; celebrate moving forward
Token of closure to all students, attendees: Program? School photo? Student drawing of school? Photograph of last class?

Involve current students and staff, neighbors, businesses, alumni, former staff

Outreach – brainstorm best ways to reach these people.
Invite neighbors, businesses, alumni, former staff to share stories, photos for scrapbook.
Invite current students to write poems, stories about their experience at their school.
Ask students to draw a picture of their school. Use in invitations, fliers, press, closure token.
Invite neighbors, businesses, alumni, former staff to attend, participate in closing ceremony
Invite neighbors, businesses, alumni, former staff to contribute to ceremony (speaker, refreshments, stories)
Carefully consider involving people from receiving site? Or wait until opening in September?

Press

Press release / article / message: We will be recognizing the xx years of service provided by xxxxx school in a closing event and book of memories. Did you attend xx school? Do you know someone who did? Please attend our ceremony and/or add your memories or photos to our scrapbook.
Involve people from receiving site
Pen pals between sites
Staff, students, parents working together on Self Help projects at new site
Students at closing sites make something to take to install at new site
Educational teams meet together
PTAs meet together
Receiving sites provide “welcome” gesture in September, similar to welcoming kindergarten families

Self-help information:

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/facilities/SelfHelp/Overview.pdf

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/facilities/SelfHelp/Grounds.doc

Contact us e-mail: booksandbricks@seattleschools.org